


One Chance

by ThrillerTheKiller



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Death, F/M, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Suicide, trigger - Freeform, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-26 16:38:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6247570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThrillerTheKiller/pseuds/ThrillerTheKiller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oneshot</p><p>TRIGGER WARNING</p><p>Grillby has liked Sans for a little. Okay, a very long time. He wishes he could tell but simply can't find the right words or voice. When Sans begins to hang around Toriel more, Grillby begins to panic. Of course they would be a good match. She was everything Grillby wasn't. So when Sans tells him "good" news, Grillby does some desperate business.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Chance

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey, hey, hey, I'm TK and here today with a depressing Sansby oneshot, not yay. Yeah. This is extremely sad, and I think I went a bit overboard with this.
> 
> I'm sorry if I did.
> 
> So, I got this prompt over on Tumblr, and I had to use the idea. It's basically Grillby in a one-sided crush for Sans when he starts dating Toriel.
> 
> I fucking hate Soriel :/
> 
> Yeah, so this revolves around the Grillbster and his inner turmoil. There is a trigger at the end, so let me put a small warning up.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: CONTAINS SUICIDE.
> 
> There. I feel like shit right now which is strange because I've been in such a good mood the past few days. I guess I just crashed.
> 
> I am horribly sorry for writing this awful, sad, depressing Sansby trash.
> 
> But I love Sansby so much, Soriel must burn however.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. I know I personally didn't enjoy what came out of this shit very much.
> 
> Read and review.

 

* * *

_You have one chance._

* * *

It was a fine day in Snowdin. No random blizzard had popped up, the day was somewhat warm for the town's standards, and everyone was in a good mood.

Save for one specific fire elemental.

Grillby had never been the romantic type, whatsoever. So why did he feel this way about his absolute best customer? It was near torture to watch him walk in, sit down for a good thirty minutes, and then leave like nothing. Grillby mulled over his thoughts and put his elbows on the bar table in front of him, eyes going over the people sitting in their seats and enjoying themselves on the beautiful day. Suddenly, the bell notifying him that someone had walked in rang, and Grillby looked up excitedly only to see the Lesser Dog pad in with a new set of cards. He slumped back down in disappointment. At this rate, he'll drive himself insane.

It took a while, but eventually his favored regular came in through the entrance while Grillby was cleaning a table. The flame monster quickly gathered up all the dishes and brought them back behind the counter to clean later.

"hey, grillbster," Sans winked as he took his usual seat right in front of where Grillby worked.

"...Hello, Sans," Grillby replied in his usual quiet voice. "Would you like anything in particular?"

"nah, just the usual," the skeleton told him, and Grillby instinctively reached for a bottle of ketchup then tuned to make him some fries.

Surprisingly enough, Sans was quiet for the most part. Not even a pun slipped out of him, which was most peculiar. Grillby tried not to dwell on his behavior too much as he placed a tray in front of the skeleton. The food was immediately soaked in ketchup. A skeletal hand took one out of the basket in a slow, melancholy manner, and was lifted up shakily to Sans' mouth before he fell face first into the food.

"Sans!" Grillby said frantically, and grabbed his blue hoodie and pulled him back up.

"sorry," Sans apologized sincerely but still with a tired note to his tone.

Now clearly expressing his concern, the bartender asked "What's wrong?"

"nothing, i-" Sans faltered, knowing that his fiery friend would pick up on the lie easily. "would it bother you knowing that everything you work up to could be reset at the press of a button?"

"...What?"

This was very uncommon for Sans. He always seemed so happy, so funny, while Grillby knew there was something always hanging over his head, he had a way of staying cheerful.

Sans shook his head. "it's _food_ ," he picked up a fry that was smushed by his head, "for thought."

The fire elemental chuckled, with a puff of smoke billowing out from one of the flames on top of his head. "Are you… sure that it's…"

"yeah," his friend confirmed with a half hearted smile.

"..."

Grillby wanted to say something. Badly. He always spent time listening. Why not change and talk more?

At the moment Grillby had built up the courage to speak, Sans' phone started to ring. Sans pulled the device out of his pocket and motioned a finger at a disappointed Grillby.

"hey," he answered it.

Papyrus' voice blasted through the speakers and he was screaming something about going to the capital.

The only words the bartender picked up on were "SANS… COME… CAPITAL… HURRY… LAZY…"

"okay, okay," Sans replied, cutting his brother off. "i be there in five." He hung up then, the other end of the line beeping. "welp, gotta go grillbz. thanks for the food." out of his pocket came a bag of fresh, hard gold coins. "for my tab."

With that final note, the skeleton left, leaving behind a very conflicted Grillby holding the bag that was beginning to disintegrate in his hot hand.

* * *

_You have one chance._

* * *

It was now exactly a month ever since monsters came to the surface world. Everyone had settled down nicely, while there were a few humans who were wary and unsure about the newcomers at first, they soon changed their minds. Grillby had moved his bar to a new location and now attracted a variety of human and monster customers alike. Luckily, Sans still lived near him, so close that you could walk. The skeleton currently resided in a cluster of apartments with his brother down the street and around the corner. He still came to the restaurant regularly, too, much to Grillby's relief. The bartender occasionally liked to tell himself that his bar was one of the reasons Sans chose the home, in the first place, when he actually believed that Sans didn't care at all.

Speaking of telling things, Grillby still had not mustered up the courage to say something to his best friend about the feelings he had smothered deep down in side himself for nearly a year. There were a few times he was worried Sans had found someone else, especially the human that came with him every so often. He attempted to bring it up once, but the small skeleton simply thought it was a joke and nearly choked on his ketchup by snorting. While he should not have been worried in the first place, Grillby was still relieved, no competition yet.

Yet...

A bell at the front door ringing made the bartender look up from wiping a dirty wine glass with a rag, which had an ugly green stain on it. How it got there when it was only made for wine, he would never know. It also was probably best not to ask.

Sans was walking up to his usual seat, but this time he wasn't alone. Nor was he with the human. No, he was chatting casually with a tall, goat like woman, wearing a neat purple dress with the Delta Rune symbol on the front. Grillby was immediately intrigued and he showed it with his flames flickering warily. They cast an eerie shadow on the counter and floor and across a few people's faces.

"hey, grillbz," Sans said slowly, leaning his elbows forwards.

Grillby leaned away, afraid of heating up because of the small space between them, and replied uncertainly, "...Hello... Who is... this?"

"Hello!" The goat lady, who took a seat next to the skeleton, waved excitedly. "I am Toriel. Sans has told me much about this place and you. It's good to finally meet you."

Wondering what Sans had told the woman about him, he waved back with a, "Hello."

"'kay. done with _warm_ introductions?" His friend winked as he uttered the pun, making Toriel giggle loudly as Grillby stayed silent. "can we get two fries?"

"Of course," the fiery man said, and retreated to cook.

As he prepared the food, he could hear the duo behind him talking and sharing stories, with Toriel laughing at the terrible punch lines Sans made for his jokes. It made Grillby feel green with envy. Literally. The top of his head was becoming an ugly green tinge and he had to quickly get his turbulent emotions under control before it turned into something worse, like anger. Rage made his temperature rise and after that point things start melting or catching on fire.

When he was done cooking, he pulled out only one tray for Sans out of habit. Then he remembered that he had a guest, and pulled out two. It seemed wrong to him. The human was fine, but something about Toriel made his flames quiver as if there was a heavy gust hitting him.

Grillby set the two orders in front of the couple and they both murmured a simultaneous "Thank you," then began eating.

The bartender thought things would carry on as normal after that, with Sans talking to him, giving him attention, showering his food in ketchup, and spewing stupid puns. This was not the case and it was too much to hope for. The skeleton's eyes were all for the goat, and he listened to her chat away about so many different topics. From her school, to the child, to her time in the Ruins in the Underground, you name it.

Not once did Sans even glance over at Grillby or the ketchup.

The fire elemental felt his flames flicker and short out in depression, turning blue this time. Of course Sans would rather be with someone else. He only ever saw Grillby as a friend and output for problems. That's all he was. An output. A sponge. Soaking up everyone's issues and not letting his own out. Ironic, considering how sponges absorbed water when Grillby was deathly afraid of the liquid.

Nearly an hour passed, and the poor monster was near asleep when Sans pushed his plate forwards with Toriel's and said, "put it on my tab."

Toriel had stopped talking only for a second to let her friend speak before starting up again. After that, Sans didn't say another word to Grillby. They got up to leave together, and it would not come as a surprise to the bartender if they held each other's hand.

They didn't.

Grillby let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding.

Before the skeleton could turn away and leave, the smoking monster quickly said, "Sans."

"yeah?" the one in question turned, clearly puzzled.

"I just..." Now was time for Grillby to say his true thoughts before the lively goat woman could take what was his away from him. "I want..."

Suddenly, his throat constricted, and a trail of smoke came from the part in his fire that served as a mouth. "I just wanted you... to have a nice day..."

Dammit.

"heh. you too, grillbster," Sans grinned even wider than usual and it sent a shiver down the bartender's back. "see ya 'round."

The two then exited, resuming their conversation.

Grillby felt like dumping a vat of freezing water on himself.

* * *

_You have one chance._

* * *

A few months afterwards, Sans' visits had become lower. And gues who he came with almost every single time?

That's right.

Toriel.

Grillby wished he could hate the former queen, he really did, but he simply could not bring himself to. It wasn't like himself to randomly hate people, it wasn't in his nature. The only person he could truly hate was himself.

He hated the way he looked.

He hated the way he acted.

He hated the way he listened.

He hated the way he couldn't speak up.

The only hope he had was that Sans never told him that their relationship was official, but that was completely idiotic. Why the hell wouldn't they start dating?

Why the hell not?!

Toriel was smart, talkative, funny, even royalty. Practical perfection. Grillby was on the opposite end of the spectrum. Stupid, quiet, boring, and a bartender in a greasy joint for crying out loud. He had nothing on her besides time, the time he spent with Sans, the time he cherished, the time he loved, and all with the one he loved.

It was near closing and every customer was slowly filing out, while no one came in except one person.

Hooray for Sans.

Usual walk. Usual seat. Usual position. Usual greeting.

No Toriel.

Grillby could have jumped for joy at this, but as I said before he was not the type to revel in this. Instead he noticed how excited Sans looked all of the sudden, by his bouncing form to his enormous grin two times wider than it was normally.

"can i tell you something?" he asked with a jubilant note in his tone.

"You can tell me anything," Grillby told him. That's what Sans does anyways, and it was a bit hurting to hear that he had to ask.

Had they grown that far apart in such little time?

The flaming monster simply brushed it off and tilted his head, a sign that he was all ears despite his lack of them.

"me and tori are dating!" Sans blurted out, pin-prick eyes lit with a glow of happiness.

Grillby felt his metaphorical heart shatter at those words.

"I would have never guessed it," he replied in a slight choking voice, holding back tears of lava, and a cry.

"i know! isn't it great? we can do a skele-ton together."

_You could have been skele-done with her and had a skele-ton of fun with me._

"Good..." Grillby felt his temperature plummet and he patted Sans' smooth head, wishing he could do that on different terms with the skeleton.

"thanks," his friend winked, then laughed and repeated, "heheh, who would have guessed it..."

The flame kept quiet, "..."

"welp, i gotta go, g'night!" Sans left as fast as he came, with the last customer of the day.

Numbness enfolded the monster in the now lonely environment. He shambled over to the door and flipped it so it read "CLOSED" and went back behind the counter. By now his entire complexion was blue. He felt ill. Something inside of him was drained, empty, completely cold. His magic levels fell. The soul inside of him was aching.

It was as if his world was falling apart.

Trying to be happy for Sans' bright, new relationship, he took a deep breath.

Everything had gone wrong, he should have spoken up, he was never a good match for Sans.

Toriel always knew how to cheer the small one up, despite knowing him for so much shorter than Grillby. All the dates they had, the chemistry they made, the bond quickly strengthening between them, it shook him to the core. The reveal shouldn't have been a shock, but he just couldn't help but wish for Sans to be with him.

_Who didn't love Sans?_

Fire was spreading to the floor...

_Why would anyone want Grillby?_

His glasses were melting along with the cups around him...

_Did anything really matter?_

Red and orange danced along the walls...

_Would everything have been different if he just spoke up sooner?_

The ceiling was becoming charred...

_Why does living have to be so painful?_

Finally Grillby realized that he wasn't keeping his fire in check and allowed it to spread. He didn't feel any panic at his precious restaurant being turned to rubble, though. In fact, he got an idea.

The fire elemental waked over to the sink with his dress shoes dragging along the floor. He took a large bucket from a cupboard, and started the faucet with shaky hands. Silver metal began molding in his grip like putty but frankly it didn't matter to him. The whole place was going up in flames, anyways.

This was the stupidest thing Grillby would ever decide to do.

On instinct, his flames shied away from the liquid but the bartender forced himself to touch it. His hand gave a satisfying sizzle and when he pulled it out it was small compared to his other hand and had turned a deep black, like the color his wooden establishment was turning into at the moment.

Lava pooled down from his eyes and dripped onto the countertops, burning a hole through it. Grillby watched this for a moment and then looked back to the task at hand.

He grabbed the bucket and lifted it. Water sloshed around in it, some spraying out and spattering his chest and arm.

It hurt.

It felt wonderful.

It was release.

Now, for the final moment. The monster glanced down at his ugly reflection and sneered at it, then throwing his head back and raising the fluid to his lips.

He tilted the bucket forwards.

It slipped down his throat and made him drop in heat again. As soon as it pooled in his stomach he could feel his flames actually shrinking; the idea was working but sluggish and painful. At this moment, nothing mattered but leaving behind the agony of having to see Sans again, especially with Toriel. Him being happy. Being happy without Grillby. Because he never needed him.

He never did anything.

He never spoke up.

If only he had said something sooner.

"...I'm sorry, Sans..." The dull flame whispered his last words, now completely black.

The restaurant collapsed as he closed his slit-like white eyes.

* * *

_You had one chance._

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: *cries* I'm sorry I made Grillby a suicidal crybaby. Please don't kill me. I can do that to myself, so don't waste your time.
> 
> Again, Soriel ruins everything. It ruins lives, y'see? Look up there, man.
> 
> Do you really want a depressed Grillby?
> 
> If so you're sick.
> 
> Anyways, I hope that didn't trigger anyone, truly, I don't want that. Look, if you have any problems with depression, suicide, or others being like this, get help. Call a suicide hotline, talk to someone you trust, talk to me even. I'll be glad to discuss. My Kik is ThrillerTheKiller so go nuts.
> 
> Not literally, haha.
> 
> I really don't want nudes or bots.
> 
> So, please leave a review down below telling me how I did. I am pretty sure I made Grillby extremely OOC but I don't care.
> 
> Fuck you if you want to complain. Just, don't. Sansby is love, Sansby is life.
> 
> I adore Sansby, obviously.
> 
> Recap. Sorry, trigger, review, help, yadda yadda yadda.
> 
> Peace out, Rainbow Trout.
> 
> I'm sorry.
> 
> Now it's fucking raining and I feel even more like shit.


End file.
